Grand Ridge Community Fest will honor long-time volunteer Karen Ranger with memorial tractor ride

A year ago, Karen Ranger wanted to make sure James “Buddy” Naughton’s memory carried on.

The Grand Ridge Community Festival’s annual tractor show and ride was conducted in long-time participant, Naughton’s, memory.

Following Ranger’s death in September, organizers decided to run the 2022 tractor ride Saturday in her memory, which only seemed natural since Ranger was always the first to spotlight others.

Among the many organizations Ranger helped on a regular basis, she volunteered as an organizer for the Grand Ridge Community Festival, especially the tractor ride. Ranger won the 2022 Maxine Wargo Volunteer of the Year Award from the Streator Area Chamber of Commerce for her many community efforts, which ranged from helping the American Cancer Society with Relay for Life to setting up the Cancer Resource Center at OSF Center for Health-Streator with the Park Presbyterian Church, among other projects.

Ranger displayed her own restored 1947 Farmall tractor. The tractor was painted purple in honor of her being a cancer survivor and gifted to her by her husband for her birthday.

The tractor show is scheduled all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday along Burlington Avenue.

Registration for the ride will be 7 a.m. Saturday, with the ride commencing at 8 a.m. rain or shine.

For more information, call 815-252-3406 or 815-488-6263.

The tractor show and ride is only part of the activities planned for the Grand Ridge Community Festival. The parade is scheduled at 1 p.m. Sunday with registration and lineup beginning at 11 a.m.

There will be children’s activities beginning at 6 p.m. Friday in the park and then noon to 3 p.m. Saturday downtown. The Mackenzie O’Brien Band will provide entertainment 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Railroad Avenue stage.

Friday, Aug. 19

All day: Ridge Roundup Tractor Show, Burlington Street

8 a.m.: Town wide garage sales

Noon to 3 p.m.: Golf cart registration, Village Hall, 130 W. Main St. (registration also 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at Village Hall)

6 p.m.: Food truck / kids activities, Grand Ridge Park

7:30 p.m.: K-9 demonstration, Grand Ridge Park

Saturday, Aug. 20

7 a.m.: Tractor ridge registration, Burlington Street

8 a.m.: Tractor ride, lunch included

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Vendors

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Food fair

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Art show, Farm Ridge Township Hall, 130 Sylvan Ave.

Noon to 3 p.m.: Kids activities, games, facepainting, bounce houses

12:15 p.m.: Magician Rob Thompson

1 to 3 p.m.: Balloon twisting, Railroad Avenue stage area

1 p.m.: Water fights, Burlington Avenue

4:30 to 7 p.m.: Streator FFA pork chop dinner, fire station, 5 E. Main St.

4:30 to 11 p.m.: Beer garden

7 p.m.: Live auction, fire station, 5 E. Main St.

8 to 11 p.m.: Mackenzie O’Brien Band, Railroad Avenue stage

Sunday, Aug. 21

All day: Ridge Roundup Tractor Show, Burlington Avenue

10:15 a.m.: Church service, Grand Ridge Methodist Church, 300 Sylvan Ave.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Vendors

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Food fair

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Ottawa FFA pork chop lunch

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Art show, Farm Ridge Township Hall, 130 Sylvan Ave.

11 a.m.: Parade sign up / lineup at fire station

Noon: Ice cream at Methodist Church, 300 Sylvan Ave.

1 p.m.: Parade, south on Burlington Avenue, west on Parkway, north on Sylvan Avenue

2 p.m.: Kiddie pedal tractor pull, adults too, Railroad Avenue stage